Aeroplane wing structure



May 13, 1930. J, s FOX 1,758,360

AEROPLANE WING STRUCTURE Original Filed March 5, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l@Y WM@ ATTORNEY May 13, 1930. J -s FQX 1,758,360

AEROPLANE WING STRUCTURE original Filed March 5, 1926 3 Sheets-sheet 2 INVE N'l'o R BY eww@ ATTO RN EI May 13, 1930. 1. s. Fox 1,758,360

AEROPLANE WING STRUCTURE original Filed March 5, 192e 3 sheets-sheet 3ATTO R N EY.

l Patented May 13, 1930 -1,'7saaio PATENT OFFICE JULIUS S.- FOX, OIE`CLEVELAND, OHIO AEBOIPLAN E WING STRUCTURE Original application ledMarch 5, 1926, Serial No. 92,424. Divided and thirapplieation ledDecember 80, i 1926. Serial No. 157,924.

This invention is a division of the application, Serial Number 92,424,iiled Mar. 5, 1926, for safety aeroplanes, from which clalms to the wingstructure were canceled by applicant responsive to oiice action of Sept.17,

1926, and relates to aeroplane wing structures of the aeroplane type,though the prlnciples herein disclosed may also be used in other formsof air ships, as in those of the dir1g1ble type. My improvements havefor their general purpose a more positive stabillty of structure andmore certain equilibrium of the plane because of a lower position of thecenter of gravity of the machine relative to the sustaining planes andother lifting and supporting elements employed, it belng a specialpurpose of my improved structural arrangement that the force of gravityshall always tend to hold the ship in equilibrium.

It is to be noted that the rather usual form of sustaining wings forboth aeroplanes and dirigibles, when wings are employed, 1s asubstantially straight-line form in the direction of their length, thatis, in a line transverse of the fuselage of the machine. Or, if thedesign of the wing in this direction has not been followed, the tips ofthe wings have usually been bent downwardly by raising appreciably thecenter of the wing, which will, of course, raise rather than lower thecenter of gravity of the weight of the ship, and thereby tend to destroythe equilibrium thereof. y

It is a special object of my invention that I have attained thedesirable result of lowering the center of gravity of an air shiprelative to the sustaining planes thereof, and on whatever form of airship they may be used, without pluralizing the number of planes therein.Heretofore it has been my observation that even a slight lowering of thecenter of gravity in aeroplanes, has been accomplished by mounting theplanes above the fuselage, usually ina plurality of spaced members, sothat such lowering of the gravity center cannot be done withmono-planes, and in fact can hardly be done with biplanes. Hence theobject of my improvements.

It is a further object of my invention that I have accomplished anothervaluable function other than the relative lowering of the gravity centerwith respect to the sustaining wings, which is associated also with thestructure of the wings themselves-that of reforming the wing structureby curving the latter in the direction of its len h, transverse yof theship. This eifect des1rab1y shapes rthe said wings by lowering thejuncture of the two side wings of a pair used in a unitary plane, to apoint far below the tips of these wings, this in itself serving afurther purpose in stabilization of the ship, this resulting in fact informing these wings in the eneral shape resembling the wings .of bir s,and thereby evidently serving the same purpose.

It is an object of my improved structure,

therefore, to. suspend the fuselage from the meeting point of the wingsof a common pair, lowering this point of suspension by bending downwardthe junction line of such wings in a mono-plane, or by bending downwardthe centers of both pairs of transverse wings, when more than one pairis used, in a biplane the fuselage being mounted between the pairs ofwings but somewhat below the longitudinal axis of the lower pair, andfar below the up er pair of wings.

t is a further object of my novel improvements to provide hollow wingsfor one or more pairs used, and to amply brace said wings interiorly, sothat the outer walls of the wings will be spaced, somewhat more at theirtransverse centers than at their tips, such space nearly disappearing atthe very tips. This construction not only provides for strengthening thewing structure just where the bend occurs at the junction of the wingsof each pair, but also provides for stron wings in spite of their beinghollow, ang therefore provides proper structure for making possible andpracticable inflation thereof by a lighter-than-air gas which it is myfurther purpose to use on my improved air ship.

The particular form and arrangement of my improvements will now bedescribed in detail, recited in the appended claims and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a front elevation of abiplane embodying therein my improvements;

graphs. T is junction point of the Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe same;

A brace structures being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a view of thetip of an upper wing, showing the vane in abent position;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the truss frame of a portion of awing;

Fi re 7 1s a cross section of a lower wing, as ta en on the line 7-7 ofFig. 1; a portion of the covering being turned back;

Figure 8 is a rspective view of a cross brace frame for t e spacedtrusses of a wing;

Figure 9 is an end view of the same; Figs. 6 to 9 are shown on alargerscale, and

Figure 10 is a detail view in perspective of a cross brace for a truss.

My improved wing structure is shown in Fig. 1 as embodied in a biplanenormally mounted upon a frame 5 for landin purposes, with usual frontwheels 6, fuse age 7 and forward propeller 8. The upper pair of wings 9shows in this view the characterist-ic edge form thereof, this lattershowing the general longitudinal downward bending of the same at theirjunction 10 which has the function of lowering the point of support ofthe fuselage 7 therebelow, as will e more particularlexplained insubsequent parap anes is not a single transverse line across the plane,but comprises an independent arc 11 extending across the plane at itscenter, and joining both wings o this air respectivelyalong lines 12,the inner ends of the wings curving downward from the straight portions13, on the arcs 14, as shown clearly in this view.

These wings 9 are attached to the fuselage by the posts 15 and bracedagainst lateral and vertical strains by the diagonal cables 16. A veryimportant feature of this wing.

structure lies in the mounting of the vanes 17 upon the rear portion ofthe tips of each, in hinged relation to the parts 13 in the same manneras they may be pivotedto -the said parts of the planes of a mono-plane,and as shown in Fig. 2in plan view. The mounting of these vanes 17 uponthe planes of any aeroplane structure, makes it feasible that' the vanes17 may be actuated from the fuselage by cables or wires that are strungover suitable fulcra on the' wings in airs and attached at their ends tosuitab e portions of the vanes, so that pulling strains on the wiresselectively will determine the direction the j vanes will swing on thediagonal pivots 18.

The particular detailed arrangement of the actuating wires and leversfor controlling the vanes 17 -become ratherconventional for the purposeof raising o r lowering such vanes on substantially horizontal hinges,but it is Va novel arrangement of these wires for control- Valles linthe vanes of either side of the machine whlch I have provided, whichconsists in so relating the wires of Y opposite sides, that neither vane17 of one side can be raised above the plane of the wing to which it ispivoted, without correspondingly lowerin the'vane on the other oropposite wing. Ill-ig. 1 illus.- trates this relative position of thetwo vanes 17, whereby movin one of the vanes necessarily moves the'ot ercorrespondingly, but in the opposite direction. This inevlta'blylresults in concerted action of the wings vand vanes when tippinv of theamachine is intended as when curved ight is desired, and as will beexplained more fully later.

l The fuselage. 7 is suspended exceedingly low from the curved arc 11 ofthe plane surface of the aeroplane, and a consequent condition ofstability results which has great advantages in certain conditions offlying, but which may make positive control of the machine,vbecause ofsuch lower center of avity, somewhat diilicult unless counteracte by thevery certain related movement of the vanes as above described. It isespecially desirable to move the vanes of a common pairof planes by acommon actuating member, so that the.

machineis rendered quite stable because of the relatively low positionof the center of gravity and the pilot 10, by actuating the 17 as abovestated, may swing the machine either to the right or left as desired.

The same general rinciple of stability and control is quite as easiblein multiplanes asin mono-planes, though-I have shown the adaptation ofthe structure before explained,

vto a biplane,'where the upper pair of wings is marked 19 andthe lowerplanes 20 are provided with concave curves 24, which are equivalent tothe curve portion 11 of the upper pair', and are joined by the junctionlines 22 and straight portions 23, being like the junction line andstraight portions 12 and 13 of the upper plane. Thelower planes are notusually provided with vanes 17.

The usual spaced supports 25 for biplanes are shown together with theusuall cables 26, and in the showing here I have provided independentengines and propellers 21 which 'are supported upon the lower plane 20,spaced laterally of the fuselage 7l an rearwardly of the main pro eller8. The forward edges of the several p anes are arranged out ofalinem'ent, the tips 27 of the planes being positively advancedforwardly of the central portion at the meeting points of the curvedarcs 14. The stabilization of the entire machine resulting from theposition of the transverse plane of the extreme ends of the wings, bemgnot rearward of the propelling or pulling force at the points 21, isvery positive and perceptible, and I regard it as an improvement forwhich I ask patentable protection per se.

' It is a special purpose of my invention to 'Y construct all the'wings.of my machine,

` whether of one or a plurality of planes, hol- 'has already been made.

I' to have been attempted to even fill certain planes withlighter-than-air gases for assist.

ing inthe buoyant properties of the ship. In all these attempts thathave been made to my knowledge, however, the practical application ofthe plan has failed because of the arrangement, which was thou htessential by the proposers of the plan, o a combination in every case,of an inflation of the fuselage with such gas chambers associated withwings or borne thereby, connected by some pipes or with tubes forinfiating the wing chambers from the larger gas chamber in the fuselage.

This has been found highly impracticable. In fact, the combination ofthe wing chambers y with an inflated major gas chamber in the fuselage,was attempted because the wing chambers were understood to leak, due tocruising force of the wing frames upon the gas tanks therein, so rapidlythat they were found to require constant inflation from other sources ofgas-hence, the inflated fuselage with all its attendant disadvantages. Ihave overcome this impracticable construction by building my wingstructures of very strong truss frames 28, formed of cross braces 29,spacing elongated edge bars 30, ofthe form which the curved wing is toassume in crosssection, and confine the gas in the several wings inflexible bags which are held in pockets bound by said truss frames. Thedetails of the structure of these pockets will be described in a laterparagraph.

The several cross trusses for such wing structure are each made up oflengthwise sections 31 which are very strongly connected togetheredgewise at 41 on the plane of the truss by plates 32 having wide ends33 connected with integral narrow portions 34. These plates 32 havemeans of attachment to the ends of the assembled truss sections and tothe bars 30. This positively holds the truss formation and the resultingwing formation to the particular outline and design desired. In Fig. 3,I have shown the wings of both the upper and lower planes in section.illustrating the truss formation, and in Fig. 6, I have shown suchstructure of two such trusses assembled in spaced relation, and on alarger scale than in the other views.

From the above-mentioned views it will be evident that the length of thetrusses 28 represent the width of the wing at that position of the crosstruss. These wings'have a wider breadth' at the center between the tips,which gradually narrows to the extreme ends to which the vanes 17 arepivoted, as above explained.

As shown in Fig. 6, 'these trusses are spaced in parallelism transverseof, and for substantially the length of the wings. For thereason statedin the immediately preceding paragraph the length of the several trussesvaries with the particular position is -assumes in the wing. The severaltrusses are connected together at their forward ends by an integral bar35 secured flxedly to the several trusses where each truss isindependently braced by a plate 36 attached to the bars 30, the rearends of each truss being also braced by an approximately triangularplate 37 connected to the bars l30 in the same manner as are the plates36.

The cross trusses 28 are further held in:

suitable spaced relation by trusses 38 which may ybe formed of parallelbars 39, which trusses 38 are extended through the several cross trussframes 28 by means of spaced plates 40 to hold the bars 39 in secureposition. I propose to use a large number of these cross truss frames28, the latter being shown in Fig. 6 on a very large scale. I mayprovide them about fifty inches apart throughout the major length of thewing in which they are used. In some cases, however, they may be spacedsomewhat farther apart. In any case, and it is understood that I vam notto be limited to the particularmeasurements mentioned herein for themere purpose of illustration only, it will be evident that these wingswill be rendered very strong for stabilizing the wings for rendering thelatter very resistant to air currents moving in various directions, andto eddies formed by the shape of the frame structure `moving in anyparticular direction.

In any case, the general form of these trussed wings will afford strongresistance against .outer air pressure, so that crushing force exertedbygas bags therein will not injure the hollow wings. And, especially bythe force of the trusses 38 by means of the plates 42, which are quitesimilar to the plates 32, the wings are braced against both lateralstrains and twisting forces exerted exteriorly upon the planes.

Between the elongated cross truss frames 28 within the wing frames, Ihave provided further strengthening braces in the form of end bracesonly, which comprise forward short frames 43 extending from the bar 35to the frames 38, and rear short frames 44 extending from the rear frame38 to a point quite in alinement with the rear ends 45 of the crosstrusses 28. Between these cross truss frames 28 and the frames 38 thereresults, therefore, a hollow space bounded by these four trusses, whichis intended to receive therein, as a sort of pocket, a gas bag forinflation, which will add to the buoyancy of the entire structure, andwill be described more in detail later. These so-called pockets arestrengthened and thereby rendered fur'- ther suitable for receiving thegas bags, by

. the rovision of a lining on the inner walls of t e pocket, this lining80 being of suitable material attached to the walls o the pocket to'pliovide support for the bag. l e provislon of the end or short frames43 and 44 is es cially useful, in that they brace the side e ges of thewings-the po1nts where especial bracing is most needed. The ed barsof-the various truss frames, as we as the several short frames 43 and44, serve the further purpose of supports for the wing covers 47 which,as shown in these views, are metallic sheets, preferably some aluminumalloy, which are very thin and of course are very light in weight. Thesesheets 47 are not essentially made of aluminum, and in some instanceswill be made of heavy canvas or other textile sheets waterproofed as maybe readily/done The are attached to these frames named, an the edges 48of the upper and lower sheets are secured to the bars 35 by screws orbolts, providing a strong outer surface for the wings, as well asaifording great strength within. The wing shown in Fig. 7, is a lowerwing and is, therefore, provided with seams 49 at the connection of theend edges of the covers 47, but since the upper wingzs of a plane areprovided with the vanes 1 the hollow formation of the wings extends tothe hinge 18 only.

Fig. 7 is shown as having a portion of the upper cover 47 partiallydetached from the trusses and folded back disclosing further structureof the interior of the wing. Between the outside covers 47, and held inproper position in the pockets formed by the truss frames as abovedescribed, are lo- 50 of gas-tight material, and

cated (pas bag provi ed wit a common filling pipe or tube one of eachlead- 51 having branch pipes 52, ing to the bag in a given pocket. Thesebags are seated loosel in the several ckets exclept as they are eldtherein by t e walls of t e shifting of the bags in the pockets toaccommodate sli ht crushing eiect of the trusses due tolun ue outerforce on the wings, as well as enables the ba to be removed for Y anypurpose. This mam tube 51 leads from a compressed gas .tank which islocated in the fusela and provided with a valve tov control t e passageof gas to. the wing bags. This compressed gas tank is kept 1n anyportion of the fuselage without any attachment thereto, and may beremoved at any ng. A maintube 51 is usually provided for the bags ofeach wing of the entire machine, though this is not regarded as strictlyessential.

It is to be noted that the vanes 17, hereinbefore described,` aremounted for roviding an effective variation relative to t e length ofthe two wings of a pair. These conditions .tional form of the wingswhich adds ket. This feature permits slight trol which is not to myknowledge aorded by machines not so provided with these structuralfeatures.

thewingsresultsina' Special note is. also made of the cross secto theeffectiveness of safety flight wlth this structure. It is emphasizedthat the forward end of the frame 28 which we may term the nose 58, isformed of up r and lower curves 59 and 60, respective y, which meet atthe edge formed by the bar 35, the lower curve 60 making a larger anglewith the horizontal plane p through bar 35' than does the curve 59. heeffect of this shape is to give a lifting function to the planes due tothe forward movement of the planes into the air which latter tends toraise the planes by ressure underneath the same.

Many etails of construction may be slightly chan ed without varying theoperating princip es of the machine or modlfying the resulting functionsthereof which applicant relies upon for his advantages from hisimprovements. For example, standards 7 6 may be extended upward abovethe upper plane, and stay wires 77. connected to the ends of thesestandards to brace the wmgs at the points 78 by reason of theconcavo-convex arcs 14.

Havi'n now described the structure of my.

improve mechanism and the manner of its operation, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an aeroplane, hollow 'wings each comprising an outer sheetcovering and an inner frame structure comdprising a plurality of trussframes positione transverse of the wing and spaced apart the length ofthe wing, shorter frame trusses positioned between plairs of thelongertrusses and extending om the common lateral edges of the and from thecommon line of the ends ci the trusses for a portion onlyv of thebreadth of the win, thus formin a pocket in the wing boun ed by a pair othe larger, main transverse trusses and the inner ends of the shortertruss frames therebetween, and a flexible gas bag positioned in saidpocket.

2. In an aero lane wing, a hollow frame structure inclu 'ng elongatedframe members extending transverse of the wing and spaced apart to formpockets between said member, the sides of each pocket being formed oftwo said transverse frame'members in parallelism'and the ends of saidcross trusses connected with the truss frames, such ends being furtherbraced by short truss frames, having narrow ends whose tips are inalinement with the narrow ends of the full length truss frames and'their broader ends forming in part the outline of said pockets, aliningmaterial attached to the JULIUS S. FOX.

